Cape Breton Eagles majority Irwin Simon speaks to the crowd during a team press conference at Centre 200 last Wednesday. Simon says right now he has no intentions to be part of the Cape Breton Highlanders organization, but it’s something he would consider. - Jeremy Fraser

SYDNEY, N.S. —

The Cape Breton Highlanders will likely have to forget about Irwin Simon saving the club’s upcoming season — at least for now.

Simon, the majority owner of the Cape Breton Eagles, told the Cape Breton Post last week he has no intention and there are no discussions around the Glace Bay native purchasing the Cape Breton Highlanders.

“I think two sports teams could be supported here,” said Simon, who was in Sydney for the Eagles rebranding announcement last Wednesday.

Simon confirmed he was approached by the Highlanders organization last year but didn’t speak much about the conversation.

“At that time, I was in the middle of the hockey season, but they’re the owners (of the Highlanders) right now and I’m on the sidelines — right now my focus is the Eagles.”

Last month, the National Basketball League of Canada team suspended operations for the upcoming season because it couldn’t meet the deadlines set out by the league.

The league, at the time, required team dues of $25,000 by July 8 and any outstanding debts owned by the club also needed to be paid.

In a final attempt to save the 2019-20 season, the Highlanders unveiled a plan that if successful would mean the return of the franchise to the court this season.

The club is looking to sell 1,500 season tickets in one week, a campaign which began last Sunday.

CAPE BRETON HIGHLANDERS

The team was founded in 2015

The club, owned by Tyrone Levingston and local investors, began play in the National Basketball League of Canada during the 2016-17 season

Cape Breton has yet to have a winning season, however the Highlanders did clinch its first playoff spot last March

The team suspended operations in July, but is making one last attempt to save the team and the 2019-20 season

Highlanders president and general manager Tyrone Levingston confirmed he spoke with Simon last season.

“We had a very minimal conversation,” said Levingston. “We were never really trying to sell our club, we were looking at having the possibility of a major investor coming on board and taking over the bulk of the workload.”

Tyrone Levingston

Along with being the majority owner of the Eagles, Simon also owns 50 per cent of the St. John’s Edge, a basketball team which lost in the NBL Canada league final to the Moncton Magic in May.

The Edge ranked first in the league for attendance last season, averaging 3,794 fans per game in the regular season.

As for the Highlanders, the team finished the regular season seventh in attendance in the 10-team league, averaging 1,238 fans per game — the worst in the team’s three-year history.

NBL Canada deputy commissioner Audley Stephenson told the Post a person can own shares in more than one league team.

“It’s happened several times throughout the league history, so it is possible for one person to have shares in other teams,” said Stephenson on Monday.

League rules state a person cannot own majority shares in two teams but a majority shareholder can hold shares in a second team. A person can only hold shares in more than one team if approved by the league’s board of directors, which has approved similar situations in the past.

Currently, Vito Frijia is the owner of the London Lightning and to date owns about five per cent of the St. John’s franchise as well.

On the court, the Sydney-based Highlanders are coming off their most successful season in the league, finishing the year with a 19-21 record.

The team clinched its first playoff spot last March and took the Halifax Hurricanes to five games in the first round, before eventually being eliminated from championship contention.

Despite not having plans to be part of the Highlanders ownership, Simon isn’t ruling out the possibility.

“It’s something I would consider,” said Simon. “Right now, we have a great team in St. John’s, so let’s see what happens.”

As for the Highlanders, the team will continue its attempt to save the upcoming season.

For more information about the season ticket campaign, visit ownourfuture.ca.